By Daniela Santos

It was a wonderful Sunday morning for the community to unite once again for Wheat Ridge High School’s main fundraiser: The Farmers 5000.

The atmosphere was positive as people sacrificed their extra sleep time to put on their running shoes and run a 5k.

While people were still waking up, and some recovering from a fun homecoming, various clubs and organizations came together in support of the runners. The school’s cheerleaders were among one of these groups, and although they were noticeably tired at first, the girls regained their energy soon enough to give their support as runners crossed the finish line. The school band came as well to give some musical accompaniment and the Wheat Ridge Singers sang for everyone the national anthem. Principle Griff Wirth kept the spirits high by commentating the whole event as well.

Celebration was at every turn. Aside from the big race and the fun run, the stands at the front parking lot also brought their own fun to the table. Snacks were made available to everyone; the Mahke Auto Body booth offered water and beside them were bagels, oranges, and other snacks for the athletes to regain their strength. The school’s catering class also offered some sweet treats.

Many elementary schools had booths as well. The most popular one was Prospect Valley’s because they had the list of the first one-hundred runners. Other stand-out booths were from the big companies Wal-Mart and Noodles & Company who offered free vision screenings and food. Kids even had the exciting opportunity to go on a tractor ride around the front parking lot.

Though this is a fundraiser for Wheat Ridge High School, the fun would not be there if there were no prizes for the talented runners. The first male and female runners to complete the race the fastest were Adam Trofa and Lori Walker, who each won $100. And for the first time this year, the elementary school with the highest number of student participates not only won a trophy but also were rewarded with a whopping $500! That honor went to Pennington Elementary School.

Other noticeable acknowledgments were English teacher Tim Slater who was the first Wheat Ridge High School teacher to complete the race and young Nicole Yates who was the first child to finish those three miles.

Overall, the celebration had a great turn out. The Wheat Ridge family came together to share in their love of exercise and

grief for their sore legs. “It was great. It was fun. I’m gonna die,” says Wheat Ridge senior, David McKinney, who perfectly summed up the optimistic attitude that most of these participates collectively had. And even though it may seem like a hard race for the not-so-athletic partakers, many return the next year. The Farmers 5000 is a famous event of the city, and one cannot consider themselves a part of the community without coming to this event at least once.